Black Hearted

Part 60

Mark stopped just in front of the steps. Clenching his jaw, he tried to get his emotions under control. Behind him, Silver chuckled wickedly. Turning slightly to glare at her with disinterest, she tilted her head back to smugly tell him. "Oh? You didn't know? You never wondered about how I kept finding you?" Mark puffed up his chest, defiantly retorting. "I don't believe you." Silver's tentacles wrapped around the bars of her cell, when she uttered out coolly. "I don't care if you do or don't. All I know is that he was hoping that I'd take you off his hands. Something about your obsession with Pirate King...? Apparently, he didn't feel you were going about it the right way... As if Pirates have a 'right way' to anything." Mark faced her, crossing his arms over his chest. Only his crew knew what his goals were. Which gave him reason to believe her. He thought knowing that would hurt him... but it didn't. He was too used to being betrayed and cheated. Giving her a shrug, he chuckled out dryly. "One of the perks of the job. We're literal cutthroats. We don't hide behind societies laws to cut people down. We just do it."

Mark turned to leave as Silver quickly snapped out. "You're savages! And when I get out of here, I'll bring all three of you to justice. Then for fun... I'll sink your ship." Mark chuckled with amusement, looking over his shoulder to devilishly retort back to her. "We know what we are. But you should be asking yourself that question. What part does a pirate hunter play in your society? You think they'll welcome you in once all pirates are gone? You do the same thing WE do. The only difference is that you do it for the wrong side." Mark made his way up the stairs, noticing the odd looks from his crew members. He didn't pay them much more attention though. He had other business to deal with. They'd all see where he stood shortly. Mark didn't rest. He worked through the night to get everything in order. Then as the sun rose over the horizon, Mark leaned on the bow railing. The sky was a beautiful red. The perfect time to spill more traitor blood. Marianne walked up behind him, telling him softly. "I want justice... but not like this. Look at that sky... it's an omen. Enough blood has been spilled."

Mark kept his eyes on the horizon, telling her darkly. "You deal with your people. I'll deal with mine. Tyler was right. I've been too kind. Too lenient. No more." Marianne tapped his shoulder hesitantly, handing him the necklace with an obvious reluctance. Mark took the necklace from her, asking her with a hardened look. "Something wrong? You seem... distracted today." Marianne looked him directly in the eyes as she told him calmly. "It's nothing. It's just been a long night." Mark tugged off the old necklace and gave it to her before slipping on the new one. As he walked across the deck toward the Helm, he shouted up to the Crows Nest. "WADE! Get everyone up here! NOW!" Wade lifted a whistle from his neck and blew into it loudly. All the Merfolk flinched and groaned to the sound. From below sailors scrambled to get up onto the deck. Mark casually made his way up the steps to stand before the rail that looked down at his entire crew. The crew all stared at the railing with terrified eyes. Removing his knife from his boot, he stabbed it into the railing at glared at them. They thought he was weak. He'd show them weakness.

Sean dressed himself and followed Nate out onto the deck. They were late, but not before they got to see the crew's reaction to the spectacle on deck. Nate turned around first and gawked himself. Sean followed his eyes to look above the cabin to the railing and staggered on his feet. Nate wrapped his arms around Sean's shoulders to hold him. Hanging from the railing by their bound hands were four crewmen that were gagged with cloth. They looked frightened and all of them were naked. Mark stood proudly at the top of the railing with a knife stuck into the wood before him. Just behind Mark were Mersharks that held the dead crew members from the night before on their knees. Even from a distance, it was clear that their necks were broken from being hung by the rigging. All except Tyler. The Mershark holding him made sure to hold Tyler's head up for all of them to see the bullet hole between his eyes. Sean grabbed Nate's arm, asking discreetly. "Nate, what is he doing?"